Feeding mechanism for sewing-machines.



R. G. WOODWARD.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I8, I909.

N IINN MNI Patented Apr. 13, 11915.

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R. G. WOODWARD. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, I909. 1 13mm Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

R. G. WOODWARD. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18. 1909. 1 1 mm Patented Apr. 13, m5.

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THE NORRIS PETERS 60., F'HOTG-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C.

R. G. WOOD-WARD. FEEDlNG MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1909.- LJ5 %W Patented Apr. 13, 1915,

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THE NORRIS PETERS C0, PHoTO-LlTI-la, WASHINGTON. D. c

eraars Pair rein RUSSEL G. WOODWABD, OF WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEINING-IVIACI-IINES.

Application filed September 18, 1909.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RUSSEL Gr. WooDwAnD, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVaukegan, in the county of Lake, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in feeding mechanisms for sewing machines, and has for its object to provide a feeding mechanism which shall operate 'to engage and feed evenly both the upper and lower plies which are being stitched together, so that pieces of material of the same length or width may be properly stitched together, and their edges or the ends thereof properly disposed one directly above the other. p

A further object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism for the upper surface of the material, which cooperates with the lower feed during the feeding movements, and in which the return movements of the upper feed dog are entirely independent of the lower feed dog.

A further object of the invention is to provide an upper serrated feeding mecha 'nism, which is brought into cooperative feeding relation with the material beingfed, through the raising of the .material by a lower feed dog.

A. still further object of the invention is to provide an upper feeding mechanism which is positively moved back and forth above the material, and which is held normally out of engagement with the material, and is so located and constructed that the material is brought into feeding contact with said upper feed dog by the raising of the lower feed dog.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a means for guiding the material to a feeding mechanism of the above character, whereby a welt such as is common upon the outside seam-of a trousers leg, may be formed.

Still further objects of the invention will in part be obvious, and will in part be hereinafter more fully described. 7

In the drawings, which show by way of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, f9fl5.

Serial No. 518,332.

illustration one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a rear view of a sewing machine having my improved feeding mechanism applied thereto, certain parts thereof being omitted, and certain parts being broken away for the sake of clearness; Fig. 2 is a end view of the same; Fig. 3 is a detail view from the front of the machine, showing my improved guide for the material; Fig. 4: is a detail view similar to Fig. 3, showing the upper feed and the guides for the material in top plan; Fig. 5 is a detail showing the position of the upper feed dog at the end of its feeding stroke; Fig. 6

is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the upper feed dog at the forward end of its stroke; Fig. 7 is a detail view, showing the means for adjusting the throw of the upper feed dog; Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view through the presser foot, the upper feed dog and the lower feed dog,'showing the fabric held in engagement with the upper feed dog; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the lower feed dog; and Fig. 10 is an inverted plan view of the upper feed dog, showing the lower face thereof. Fig. 11 is a sectional view showing a modified form of presser foot. Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the foot in a different position.

The work support 1 is mounted above the bed plate 2, from which rises the standard 3 carrying the overhangingarm 4;, in which reciprocates the needle bar 5, carrying a needle 6. The needle bar is reciprocated in the usual manner, and further description thereof will not be necessary.

Coliperating with the needle is any desired complemental stitch-forming mechanism. The presser foot 7 is carried by the presser bar 8, mounted in the forward end of the overhanging arm 4:- The presser bar may be lifted by the usual presser bar lever 9. The presser foot is held upon the work support 1 by the spring 10, which bears upon the stud 11 carried by the presser bar. The presser bar may also be lifted by the hand lever 12, if desired.

The lower feed dog 13 is carried by a feed dog 14:, pivoted in the usual manner to a feed rocker 15, which is operated through the arm 16, which in turn is connected by means of the link to a crank pin on the forward end of the main shaft 17 as is usual in this type of machines. The feed dog is given its rising and falling movements by means of an eccentric on the main shaft, which is also of the usual construction.

The feed dog 13, as shown in Fig. 9, consists of the parallel plates 17, 17, which are serrated at their upper edges to form feeding surfaces, and also with the serrated feeding surfaces 18, 18, one of which is located directly in front of the needle and the other directly in rear of the needle.

The presser foot 7 is provided with the side members 19, 20, which are so disposed as to engage thematerial at each side of the feed dog 13. The members 19 and 20 are connected at their forward end by a cross piece 21. The presser foot is also provided with a central fabric engaging member 22, in which is formed the needle slot 23. The central member 22 is of such width as to form two parallel recesses or spaces between the same, and the members 19 and 20, respectively. Said recessed portions extend to the rear of the presser foot.

The upper feed dog 24 is forked at 1ts forward end so as to provide the feedlng fingers or prongs 25, 26. Said feed dog 24 is so disposed that the feeding prongs 25, 26, extend into the spaces or recesses between the central member of the presser foot and the outside'portions 19, 20, thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. Said presser foot 24, as shown in Fig. 10, is serratedat its forward end. The prongs 25, 26, as herein illustrated, are slightly wider than the plates 17 of the lower feed dog.

The presser foot 13 carries a roller 27, which is journaled in the side plates 19, 2 0, of the presser foot. Said roller is so disposed that the upper face of the upper feed member 24 may engage the under face of the roller 27, which serves as a bearing for said upper feeding member. The upper feed dog 24 is pivoted at 28 to a rock arm 29, carried by a sleeve 30, secured to a rock shaft 81 by a. suitable set screw 32.

The rock shaft 31 is mounted in the bearings 33, 34, carried by the overhanging arm 4. At its rear end said rock shaft 81 carrles a depending arm which is rigidly attached to the shaft 31. Said depending arm 7 35 at its lower end carries a ball stud 36,

which is engaged by the outer end of an eccentric strap 87, which cotiperates with an eccentric 38, carried by the main shaft 17 The eccentric 38, as herein shown, is mounted on a. plate 39, which is pivoted at 40 to a disk 41 carried by a sleeve 42 mounted on the shaft 17. The plate-39 also has a segmental. slot 43, in which is mounted a locking bolt 44. By loosening the bolt 44, it will readily be seen that the eccentric 38 may be adjusted toward and from the center of the main shaft 17, and thus the throw of the eccentric varied, which in turn will vary the throw of the upper feed dog. The throw of the lower feed dog is adjusted in the usual manner by shifting the crank pin in the slotted disk on the forward end of a spring 46, which in turn is connected to an eye or suitable attaching means 47 carried by the lever arm 29. The spring 46 normally holds the upper feed dog 24 against the roller 27.

In the operation of my feeding mechanism, as above described, the lower feed dog is moved up into contact with the material, and then is reciprocated longitudinally, in order to feed the material. When the feed dog reaches the end of its feeding stroke, it is lowered from engagement with the material, and is returned to its forward position. The upper feed dog 24 is moved back and forth by the oscillations of the arm 29, which is operated by the eccentric 88 on the main shaft. lVhen the upper feed dog is at the forward end of its stroke, the spring 46 holds the same against the bearing roller 27. As the lower feed dog moves up against the material, said material will be unsupported, directly over the fabric engaging plates 17, and said plates 17 moving up into the space between the members 19, 20 and 22 of the presser foot, carry the fabric into engagement with the upper feed dog. The upper and lower feed dogs are so timed as to move back and forth substantially together, although it is often desirable to more the upper feed dog a little faster than the lower feed'dog, which compensates for any dragging effect of the presser foot on the material, so that the upper and lower plies of fabric will be fed evenly and at the same speed.

It will be obvious that the upper feed. dog may be so timed as to move considerably faster than the lower feed dog, or slower than. the lower feed dog, if desired, as the means for adjusting the throw of the upper feed dog is entirely independent of the means for adjusting the throw of the lower feed dog, as has already been noted.

As soon as the main or lower feed dog is lowered from the material, the material will be released from engagement with the upper feed dog, which still retains its position against the bearing roller 27. As the upper feed dog, therefore, is returned to its forward position, it will be free of the fabric, and of all frictional engagement therewi h.

The machine herein shown, is provided with a guide 48, on which a strip of material may rest. Underneath the guide 48 is an edge guide 49. Cooperating with the guide 48 is a guide 50, which, as herein shown, is carried by the presser foot. Said guide 50 is formed by bending a rod forward, and then toward the line of stitching and downwardly, as at 51, and thence forward and outwardly, as at 52. The rod forming the guide 50 is provided with two stop collars 53, 54-. Said rod extends through a split sleeve 55, formed integral with the presser foot, and a screw 56 serves as a means for glamping the rod'or guide 50 to the presser oot.

By my improved arrangement of guides, two pieces of fabric which have been previously stitched together, may be'directed to the feeding mechanism, so that one layer of the fabric rests on the Work support 1, while the other layer is bent backward upon the support 48. The guide 50 engages the layers of the fabric, so as to hold the stitched edges against the guide 4-9. The guides are so located relative to the needle that as the fabrics leave said guides, the needle will pass down through the upper layer and the stitched layers beneath the upper layer, and thus form a welt such as is common on the outside seam of the legs of trousers.

The central member 22 of the presser foot is very desirable, in that it rests directly upon the top of the welt, and thus holds the same while it is properly stitched and se cured. Said member 22 also cooperates with the feeding member 18, so that a chain of stitches may be fed through the machine, and the machine may be operated, chaining from one article to another.

In Figs. 11 and 12, I have shown a modified form of presser foot. The presser foot 60 in this instance is pivoted at 61 to the shank portion of the presser foot, so that said foot may swing about its pivot. The shank is provided with a recess 62 and a pin 63, carried by the foot, is located in said recess and will serve to limit the movement of the foot about its pivotal support. The roller 27, which cooperates with the upper feed 24 and limits its upward movement, is adjustably connected to the presser foot. As herein shown, the roller 27 is mounted in a yoke 64 which is pivoted at 65 to the foot. The presser foot is slotted so as to allow the bearing for the roller to extend through the side portions of the foot, into the yoke. The foot has an extension 66, which is provided with an opening to re ceive a stop screw 67. The pressure of the upper feed clog through the spring 46, normally turns the yoke about its pivot so that the head of the stop screw rests against the extension on the foot. By adjusting said screw, the extreme upper position of the roller and likewise, the upper feed dog, may be varied. By pivoting my foot as herein shown, said foot will pass much more smoothly over a cross scam in the fabric. The roller 27 is slightly in front of the pivotal'point of the foot. When a cross seam passes underneath the toe of the foot, the toe will be raised and the roller against which the upper feed dog bears will be raised slightly allowing the nose of the feed dog to lift sufliciently to pass over on to the cross seam. As soon as the cross seam passes by the pivotal support of the foot, said foot will rock back to its normal position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a presser foot, a feeding mechanism including an upper feed dog, means for supporting and moving said upper feed dog back and forth with the fabric engaging surface thereof above the fabric engaging surface of the presser foot, a lower feed dog, means for raising said lower feed dog into contact with the mate rial and for raising thematerial into contact with the upper feed dog, and means for moving said lower feed dog back and forth whereby the material is gripped and fed by said feed dogs.

2. The combination with a presser foot, a feeding mechanism including an upper feed dog, means for supporting and moving said upper feed dog back and forth with the fabric engaging surface thereof above the fabric engaging surface of the presser foot, a lower feed dog, means for raising said lower feed dog into contact with the material and for raising the material into contact with the upper feed dog, means for moving said lower feed dog back and forth whereby the material is gripped and fed by said feed dogs, and said means for moving the upper feed dog back and forth being adjustable, whereby said upper feed dog may be given a differential movement relative to the lower feed dog.

3. The combination with a presser foot and a feeding mechanism including an upper feed dog having fabric engaging teeth, a bearing carried by said presser foot on which said feed dog slides, means for holding said feed dog in engagement with said bearing, means for moving the feed dog back and forth in contact with said bearing, the feed engaging surface of said feed dog being at all times slightly above the fabric engaging surface of said presser foot, and a lower feed dog cooperating with said upper feed dog for raising the fabric into engagement with said upper feed dog.

4. The combination with a work support, of a presser foot, and feeding mechanism including an upper feed dog, means for normally holding said feed dog so that it moves back and forth in fixed vertical relation to the presser foot, and with its fabric engagmg surface above the lower surface of the presser foot, means for moving the material intoengagement with said upper feed dog, and means for moving the upper feed dog to feed the material.

5. A feeding mechanism including in combination, an upper feed dog, a rock shaft to which said feed dog is pivotally connected, yielding means for swinging said feed dog upward about its pivotal connection, means for oscillating said rock shaft, and means for limiting the upward movement of said feed dog about its pivotal connection with the rock shaft.

6. A feeding mechanism including in combination, an upper feed dog, a rock shaft to which said feed dog is pivoted, a spring for normally lifting said feed dog, and meansfor limiting the upward movement of said feed dog.

7. The combination of a work support, an overhanging arm, a rock shaft mounted in said overhanging arm, an upper feed dog, and means for moving said upper feed. dog back and forth in a plane substantially parallel with the work support from said rock shaft.

8. The combination with a work support, an overhanging arm, a rock shaft mounted in said overhanging arm, an arm carried by said rock shaft, an upper feed dog pivoted to said arm, yielding means for swinging said feed dog upward about its pivotal connection, a presser member, and means carried by said presser member for limiting the upward movement of said feed dog.

9. The combination with a work support, of an overhanging arm, a rock shaft mounted in said overhanging arm, an arm depend ing from said rock shaft, a feed dog pivoted to said arm, a spring normally operating to lift said feed dog, a presser member, and a roller carried by said presser member for engaging the upper face of said feed dog.

10. The combination of a Work support, an overhanging arm, a rock shaft carried by said overhanging arm, a main shaft beneath the work support, an adjustable eccentric carried by said main shaft and operatively connected to said rock shaft, a depending arm carried by said rock shaft, an upper feed dog pivoted to said rock shaft, a spring normally operating to lift said feed dog, a presser member, and means carried by said presser member for limiting the upward movement of said feed dog.

11. The combination of a work support, an overhanging arm, a rock shaft carried by said overhanging arm, a main shaft beneath the work support, an adjustable eccentric carried by said main shaft and operatively connected to said rock shaft, a depending arm carried by said rock shaft, an upper feed dog pivoted to said rock shaft, a spring normally operating to lift said feed dog, a

presser member, a roller carried by said presser member and engaging the upper face of said feed dog.

12. The combination of a presser foot having a central fabric engaging surface, an upper feed dog having a forked end straddling said central fabric engaging surface of the presser foot, means for moving the said upper feed dog back and forth in fixed vertical relation to the presser foot and with the fabric engaging surface of the feed dog slightly above the fabric engaging surface of the presser foot and a lower feed dog coblperating with said upper feed dog.

13. The combination of a presser foot having a central fabric engaging surface, an upper feed dog having a forked end straddling said central fabric engaging surface of the presser foot, means for moving the said upper feed dog back and forth in fixed vertical relation to the presser foot and with the fabric engaging surface of the feed dog slightly above the fabric engaging surface of the presser foot and a lower feed dog cooperating with said upper feed dog, said presser foot having a roller thereon, and means for pressing said upper feed dog into contact with said roller.

14:. The combination of a lower feed dog, having spaced fabric engaging plates, :1 fabric-engaging surface located at the rear and centrally of said feed dog, a presser foot having a central fabric-engaging member with a needle slot therein, an upper feed dog having fabric-engaging surfaces located on each side of said central member and directly over the fabric-engaging plates of the lover feed dog.

15. The combination of a presser foot having a fabric engaging member located between its sides, an upper feed deg freely supported and moving in a plane above the bearing surface of said presser foot on one of its movements, means to limit its upward or vertical movement, said means being located in a plane above said upper feed dog.

16. In a combined presser foot and feeding device, a spring to normally hold said presser foot upon the material. and a second spring tending to normally hold said feeding device above the fabric engaging point of said presser foot, one of said springshaving greater tension than the other.

17. The combination of a presser foot having grooves in the bottom thereof, of a feeding device having a forked end, the ends of the fork being adapted to lie in the grooves in the bottom of the presser foot, and to move longitudinally of said foot, said presser foot having a needle hole passing through the same between the grooves, and means for holding the feeding device in contact with the presser foot.

18. The combination with a work support,

of an overhanging arm, a rock shaft mounted in said overhanging arm, an arm depend ing from said rock shaft, a feed dog pivoted to said arm, a spring normally operating to lift said feed dog, a presser member, a roller carried by said presser member for engaging the upper face of said feed dog, and means whereby the position of said roller may be adjusted.

19. The combination of a presser foot having a central fabric-engaging member, with a needle opening therein, a roller ournaled in said presser foot, and an upper feed dog having a forked end straddling said fabrioengaging member, means for holding said upper feed dog in engagement With said roller, and means whereby the position of the roller may be adjusted.

20. The combination with a presser foot, means for pivotally supporting said presser foot, an upper feed dog having teeth on the lower face thereof, and moving back and forth within said presser foot and with the teeth of said upper feed dog above the lower face of the presser foot, and means carried by said presser foot for determining the reciprocating position of said feed dog.

21. The combination with a presser foot, means for pivotally supporting said presser foot, an upper feed dog, means normally foot, an upper feed dog, means tending to raise said upper feed dog, a roller supported by said presser foot and bearing against the upper face of the feed dog to limit its upward movement, said roller being located in front of the pivotal support of the presser foot.

28. The combination with a presser foot, means for pivotally supporting said presser foot, an upper feed dog, means tending to raise said upper feed dog, a roller supported by said presser foot, and bearing against the upper face of the feed dog, to limit its upward movement, said roller being located in front of the pivotal support of the presser foot, and means for adjusting the position of said roller.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

RUSSEL G. WOODWARD.

Witnesses:

C. MCNEIL, F. S. NORTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. (3. 

